A New Hope
by Damry Hawke
Summary: This is the sequal to The Promise! Piccolo has finally returned with the Dragon Balls and everyone is ready to bring their old friend home!


~*~Disclaimer~*~  
  
I don't own the original DBZ characters in this story, but Damry is mine. Take her and suffer brutally, muahahahaha! ^_^  
  
The fierce wind sent the freshly set snow flying about in circles. Inside, a family and their friends gathered around the warming fire with bottomless glasses of egg nog in hand. In the corner, a large evergreen tree stood proudly bearing its colorful ornaments and dazzling lights. Beneath it, boxes wrapped in vibrant paper tantalized its onlookers. It offered a bit of warmth while the blizzard was howling on the other side of the window.  
  
"Okay, okay, now what's this one?" Krillin asked, entwining his fingers into another shape and holding them up in front of the lamp. Everyone stared at the shadow it casted in puzzlement.  
  
"Oh! I know!" Goku exclaimed, jumping up out of his seat. "It's a monkey, right?"  
  
Krillin lowered his head and grumbled. "No, Goku, for the last time, it is not a monkey! It wasn't a monkey the first time, it wasn't a monkey the second time, and it's not a monkey this time! Now, does anyone else have a guess?"  
  
Piccolo tilted his head and Yamcha scratched his chin. Then, a voice from the other side of the room spoke up. "It's a giraffe," Vegeta stated softly.  
  
All eyes traveled to the Scrooge sitting in the corner with his arms crossed. Krillin lowered his hands from the lamp. "Hey, he's right!"  
  
"I still think it looked like a monkey," Goku stated stubbornly.  
  
The doors of the kitchen flew open as a procession of women carrying platters stacked high with food filed out. All at once, the men ran to their places at the beautifully ornamented dinner table. Food was passed around as everyone filled up their plates until nothing more could fit. Over at the kid's table, Gohan dished out extra vegetables for Goten, Trunks, and Maron. Much to his disappointment, he was nominated as chaperone for the evening.  
  
"Okay, everyone! Now before we dig in, who wants to say Grace?" Chichi called over the eager voices.  
  
All eyes rested of Goku. He sighed and folded his hands. "Oh, alright!" Once everyone bowed their heads, Goku began. "Dear heavenly fathers, we thank you for giving us the chance to come together tonight and celebrate each other and the fortune we have all found. May we keep you and serve you every day and in everything we do." Over at the kid's table, Goten slowly reached down onto his plate to sneak a bite of turkey, but Gohan was quick to grab his wrist while still managing to keep his eyes shut. Goten retracted and folded his hands again. "Gods bless everyone here tonight, our friends in the future, watch over Piccolo, and continue caring for our dear friend Damry, wherever she may be. Amen."  
  
"Amen," everyone chanted together. Without hesitation, everyone dug into their feasts.  
  
"Wow, 18! These yams are outstanding! What's your secret?" Bulma asked with her mouth half full.  
  
18 blushed. "The marshmallows! They were Krillin's idea, though. He's quite handy in the kitchen if you're looking for a way to turn a perfectly healthy side dish into pure candy!"  
  
"Well who wants to eat orange potatos anyway? If you ask me, the whole food coloring idea was a mistake! Atleast they didn't turn them green or something," Krillin said in his own defense. The whole table laughed at his innocent mistake. Even Vegeta managed to crack a smile.  
  
The dinner carried on through the night. Everyone filled and re- filled their plates until even the saiyan men were full. 18, Bulma, and Chichi cleared the table as the men gathered around the fire once again. Gohan took the kids over to the tree so that they could shake their presents and make wild guesses as to what they might contain. Five stalkings dangled over the mantle. Goku's was dramatically larger than the other four, much to the amusement of the onlookers, and Chichi's, Gohan's, and Goten's stalkings overflowed with assorted sweets and surprises. Then there was a stalking unline the others. It wasn't filled with candy, but with letters and flowers. On the brim, Damry's name was embroidered in gold.  
  
Just as the woman had settled themselves around the fire, the front door flung open. Snow blew in from every angle, filling the room with its bitter coldness. A shadowed figure slowly entered and forced the door closed once again. Goku jumped up with a grin on his face as the large Namek smiled wearily at the group. "Piccolo! You're back!" he yelled, running to his friend to shake his hand.  
  
Krillin and 18 made room for Piccolo on the couch as the kids ran over to welcome him. "Welcome home, Piccolo," Gohan said softly. Piccolo nodded in response. All eyes rested on him and his full bag. "Are those..." Gohan asked sheepishly the question on everyone's mind.  
  
Without speaking, Piccolo emptied the contents of his bag on the floor in front of him. Seven glowing balls spilled out before the anxious group. "Merry Christmas, everyone," Piccolo said weakly.  
  
Goten and Maron sat on the paper-covered floor admiring their new toys. Trunks and Vegeta were assembling a bright red dirt bike. Krillin, Yamcha, and Tien were playing with their new fishing gadgets while the women flipped through new cook books and admired each others' new jewelry. Piccolo had pulled Goku off to the side, away from everyone else. "Goku, it has taken me three years, but we finally have all seven dragon balls."  
  
"I'm sorry I wasn't able to come with you, Piccolo. You have no idea how much I-"  
  
"We've been through this," Piccolo interrupted. "You needed to be here with your family. We all have our places, Goku. Yours is here. You're still sure about wishing her back, right?"  
  
"Of course I am!" Goku said surely. "Like you said, everyone has a place and hers is here with us!"  
  
Piccolo nodded. "Then we'll do it. Tomorrow, if the weather allows it."  
  
"Why not tonight? I'm not letting a little snow get in the way of bringing my sister back! And what better day than Christmas?" Goku stopped when a remote control car crashed into his foot. He smiled at his smallest son and set his car upright again. "Remind me never to let you get a driver's license, Goten!"  
  
Goten laughed and drove his car back into Trunks's. "Attack! No man can be left standing! Aaaaaahhhh!"  
  
"Prepare to die, evil foe!" Trunks cried in the most intimidating voice he could manage. His car fired three plastic darts at his adversary.  
  
"I'll never give in to you!" Goten yelled as he flipped over the couch to an overly dramatic death.  
  
"Trunks, now that you have killed your best friend, get back over here and help me with this bike!" a frusturated Vegeta ordered.  
  
Trunks scurried back over to his father's side. "Well, Dad, you could start by turning the directions over. I don't think anyone has ever assembled one of these things with the manual upside-down!"  
  
Vegeta fished for a comeback to mask his mistake, but couldn't think of one in time. Instead, he caught his son in a headlock and rubbed his head. "Now you have to answere to the nookie!"  
  
Trunks swung his fists madly without making contact wit his father. "No! Anything but that!" Trunks pleaded between his laughs. Once Vegeta let up, Trunks retaliated and pounced on his father.  
  
"Aim for the eyes, Trunks!" Bulma cheered from her place on the couch.  
  
Vegeta pretended to defend himself from his son, although he could effortlessly toss the boy away. "Hey, whose side are you on?"  
  
"Well, Trunks is winning!" Bulma snickered.  
  
"Not for long!" Vegeta was about to flip his son over and tickle him until he cried, but Goku stopped him.  
  
"Vegeta, can we talk to you for a second?" he asked softly, not wanting to draw attention.  
  
"Sure, right after I teach my son a lesson in messing with his dear old dad!" Vegeta grinned evily and Trunks yelled for help from his still dead friend as he was tickled with no mercy.  
  
"Uncle! Uncle!" Trunks screamed, barely able to breathe any more.  
  
"Uncle who?" Vegeta demanded without letting up.  
  
"Uncle...Rumplemayer!" the boy screamed.  
  
"That'll do," Vegeta decided, releasing his son. "Now, go wish back your friend. You'll be needing him next time!" Trunks ran over to Goten who was lying in an awkward position on the floor after rolling off of the couch.  
  
"Gohan! I need 18cc's of oxygen! Hurry!" Trunks demanded in a frantic voice.  
  
"I'm on it!" the exhausted teenager yelled, running to his brother's aid.  
  
Vegeta stood up and dusted himself off, then joined Piccolo and Goku next to the tree. He didn't have to ask. He knew what was going on. Goku got straight to the point. "We're doing it. Tomorrow. Are you in?" Vegeta nodded, but his head was lowered. "What is it, Vegeta?"  
  
"I've been waiting for this for a long time. Damry changed everything about me. My entire outlook on life has been altered because of the short time she spent in my life. To tell you the absolute truth, I'm terrified." Vegeta's head still hung on his shoulders. Goku had never seen him like this.  
  
"Listen, you don't have to go if you don't want to. Piccolo and I are going for sure, and Gohan probably will too." Goku's voice was soft, almost shaky. Without wanting to admit it, he was nervous as well.  
  
Vegeta looked up at Goku, his face no longer saddened. He was now smiling excitedly. "Are you kidding? Count me in!"  
  
Due to the storm, only Tien, Yamcha, and Piccolo went home that night. Trunks wanted to stay with his mom and Vegeta decided to stay with his son. Krillin and 18 helped clean up the house while Maron played with the boys. The second everyone found a place to sleep, they were out like lights. Everyone except Goku and Vegeta.  
  
Vegeta walked as softly as he could manage through the den of sleeping guests towards the kitchen. He glanced at the clock on the wall. 4:30am and still not a wink of sleep. Vegeta flicked on the lights in the kitchen, almost causing Goku to spill the glass of milk he was gulping. "Vegeta! You scared me!" Goku whispered as he collapsed into a chair.  
  
Vegeta smirked, glad that his trip to the kitchen wasn't a complete loss. He took the milk back out of the refridgerator, not bothering to get a glass. Vegeta plopped down in the chair on the opposite side of the table from Goku and gulped down the last of the milk, then wiped away his mustache. When he noticed Goku staring at him, he couldn't help but feel uncomfortable. "What?" he asked grumpily.  
  
"You couldn't sleep either?" Goku asked, almost in a mumble. He was exhausted, but just couldn't get his eyes to stay closed.  
  
Vegeta shook his head in response, tossing the empty milk carton at the trash can. It landed right in the center with a slight swoosh. Vegeta smiled wearily. "Two points."  
  
"Nervous about tomorrow?" Goku persisted, determined to figure out what was going on in his friend's head.  
  
"I'm not nervous, Goku. Well, not like you would think." Vegeta rested his elbows on the table as his eyelids drooped.  
  
Goku leaned back in his chair and kicked his feet up. "I think I know," he said surely. When Vegeta didn't respond, he continued. "You're afraid she doesn't love you any more!"  
  
Vegeta's head jerked up and his eyes popped open again. He wanted to tell Goku how absurd that was to comment about and how sure he was that Damry would always love him, but he couldn't bring himself to say it. "Well, who wouldn't be?" he mumbled.  
  
"Vegeta, when you've known Damry as long as I have, you'd know that it doesn't matter how far away she is. A promise is a promise and she promised to love you forever, didn't she?" Goku searched the worn man's face for some kind of clue as to what he was thinking, but Vegeta masked it too well.  
  
"Yeah, she did. But I also promised her that I would move on and find someone else!" Vegeta rubbed his unshaven chin as if he was in deep concentration.  
  
"Yes you did promise her that, and you did try! It has only been three years, Vegeta. You did your best to find someone to take your mind off of Damry! And if Bulma hadn't started going out with Yamcha again, you would have ended up with her. That'll be enough for Damry!"  
  
Vegeta stood up and walked over to the kitchen door. Before he exited, he shot a thankful smile at Goku. Goku smiled back and took his glass to the sink. Once Vegeta got back to his place on the floor next to his son, he closed his eyes and slowly fell asleep. 


End file.
